Woman faces prosecution over ticket scalping involving BTS, other concerts
K-pop group BTS performs in front of a crowd at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, March 21. Joint Press Corps
A woman in her 30s has been referred to the prosecution for allegedly using a software program to purchase concert tickets for popular singers, including BTS, and reselling them at a markup, police said Wednesday.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said the woman, whose identity was withheld, was sent to prosecutors without detention on Aug. 21 on charges of obstruction of business, and violating the information network and public performance laws.
The scalping suspect is accused of using a macro program to fraudulently purchase about 2,600 concert ticket using accounts registered under the names of family members and acquaintances from April 2023 to March this year, and reselling them at higher prices.
She is also suspected of using the same method to reserve nine tickets for BTS' Gwanghwamun concert on Feb. 23 but failed to resell them after being caught by police.
The police uncovered her crime while intensively monitoring the ticket reservation process for the BTS concert in March. They have also applied for the forfeiture of 442 million won ($320,000) in criminal proceeds.
The revisions of the Public Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act are set to take effect Friday, imposing fines of up to 50 times the sales amount on those who engage in fraudulent ticket sales.